Chapter 1 : I Became the Manager of a Suicide Spot

I have nothing to do, so while browsing the internet, I sometimes come across certain types of keywords.

Places inhabited by demons.

The 13 most cursed places in the world.

The cliffs of death.

Places where once you enter, you cannot return alive.

Or places that drive you completely insane for some reason.

These places, with the title of the world’s most terrifying locations, attract the attention of many.

And just the other day,

In a mundane novel I was reading before sleep, there was such a place.<Blackmore>

The empire’s 3 major suicide spots.

A remote area boasting overwhelming danger.

A lawless zone filled with all sorts of irregular beings.

I know.

They are all just damn titles.

But I couldn’t refute those damn titles.

The reason is.

“Shit.”

…Because I had become the manager of that damn suicide spot.

A strange ceiling.

A canopy intricately embroidered and curtains tinged with a faint golden hue, along with luxurious furniture crafted by skilled artisans.

One day, when I woke up, I found myself in an unfamiliar place.

The face reflected in the mirror was also unfamiliar.

It wasn’t that strange, though.

After all, I had been possessed in the world of a novel.

How do I know? Because today marks one year since I became possessed in that novel’s world.

It’s time to admit it.

This is not a dream; this is reality.

The only relief is that the situation I’ve observed so far isn’t all that terrible.

‘He’s handsome.’

At least my appearance is better than my previous life.

Not just a little better, but overwhelmingly handsome.

‘And I’m young.’

Just twenty.

The youthful life I always dreamed of.

‘Not bad.’

With this kind of possession, there’s not much to complain about.

Compared to my previous life, where I lived a trashy life under the care of gambling-addicted parents, at least my fate seems to have improved.

‘The family isn’t bad either, at the level of a count.’

Though I’m an illegitimate child, so I’m treated like an outsider in the mansion, I don’t really mind.

I could just leave that useless family behind.

How much attachment could I have for a family of an extra character in a novel I’ve only read for a few days?

What I need is a plan.

A plan for the future, for what I will do to survive once I leave the mansion.

‘A job is important.’

How sweet a life can I live?

Nine out of ten times, it depends on the job.

I don’t particularly want to get involved in the main episodes of the novel.

And I’m not greedy for money either.

The only two things I want are simple.

To leave the mansion immediately,

And to secure a stable job that guarantees a comfortable retirement.

I’ve thought about it countless times.

In the end, the conclusion is always the same.

A government position.

A civil servant.

That day, I left the mansion and headed to the academy.

To complete the five years of education required to enter the empire’s civil service.

Five years passed like that.

I graduated with excellent grades, as planned.

And finally, I entered the civil service position I had longed for.

“Luke Richter.”

The imperial prime minister, seated in his office.

After careful consideration, the position he gave me was.

“I bestow upon you the position of regional administrator.”

Regional administrator.

A position overseeing the security and administration of a specific area.

Though it sounds like security and administration, it’s just a position where you can relax and waste time.

‘Finally…!’

I’ve done it.

I’ve achieved the civil servant dream I couldn’t in my previous life.

“The area you will be assigned to is…”

I sat quietly, waiting for the next words.

Surely, it would lead me to a land flowing with milk and honey.

I waited, believing that firmly,

But instead,

“Blackmore.”

Excuse me?

“Did you not hear me? I said Blackmore.”

Blackmore?

Did I mishear?

“Prime minister? I believe there is only one place called Blackmore in the empire…”

“Unfortunately, the place you know is correct.”

“…Yes?”

Wait a second.

That’s not a land flowing with milk and honey, that’s a place flowing with shit and diarrhea.

I’ve never even heard of a managerial position there before.

“Since the position has been vacant, we’ll skip the handover process.”

“No, please reconsider just once more…!!”

“Since this is a newly created position, don’t forget that your actions are important.”

“Yes? Why me for such an important task?”

“Heh, I’ll deliver the specifics and resource support right here, right now.”

What is this lunatic talking about?

“Surely, this will be a good experience for you as well.”

The prime minister in front of me, after finishing his words, started babbling about my work schedule.

Maybe, he had been waiting for this day from the very beginning.

Thus, with the prime minister’s nonsense coming to an end, I became the manager of the empire’s one and only suicide spot.

And.

On my first day at work, I got off the carriage personally prepared by the royal family and, as always, began to examine the surrounding environment.

The front is forest.

The back is forest.

Occasionally, strange noises can be heard, and towering trees block the sunlight, with eerie-looking plants lurking everywhere.

“Shit.”

I frowned at the atmosphere that seemed like someone could die at any moment.
It was damn enough.

Moreover, since I had actually become the manager of this place, the situation was even worse.

“Are you telling me to live here…?”

I stared blankly around and fell into thought.
The current situation had no solution.

Blackmore was gloomy and harsh, just as it was described in the novel.

To put it simply, it’s not a place for ordinary people to live.

‘Is there a house?’

Fortunately, there is a house.

It seems like the royal family took some care in preparing it.

‘At least there’s enough food.’

The supplies are sufficient.

Clothing and daily necessities are regularly provided by the royal family every month.

…Is it livable more than I expected?

Food, clothing, and shelter are solved.

However, only the basics are covered.

What kind of place is Blackmore?

A harsh wilderness that lives up to its infamous reputation.

Named villains hiding everywhere.

And every year, potential suicide candidates crawling in to end their lives.

Just looking at the descriptions of Blackmore in the original work reveals this fact.

And now.

You’re telling me to manage this damn place?

Alone?

This hellhole?

How am I supposed to do that?

After roughly assessing the situation, my conclusion was as follows:

“No solution.”

No, is this even a situation that makes sense?

I don’t want to increase personnel, but I can’t go against the emperor’s orders.

So, the solution that was proposed to me was to stick me in the middle of this cursed land as a manager.

“Haaaa…”

…I’m dizzy.

Well, at least there aren’t any annoying people around, so that’s a plus.

I sighed in self-pity and got up from my seat.

Anyway, the royal family officially appointed me as the manager of Blackmore.

In the midst of that, I couldn’t just defy the royal family’s wishes.

“I don’t know anymore.”

Blackmore is a cursed land located on the border between the empire and the Winfred Duchy.

As one of the most remote places, the pay is decent, and there are no bothersome people.

That means,

If I just waste time wisely and avoid problems, I can lead a relatively peaceful life here.

Well, it’ll work out somehow.

Who knows?

I might even adapt to life here quicker than expected.

A few days later.

“……”

I spent another day stuck inside the house.

Staring at the same view from the window, as usual.

Of course, I couldn’t keep wasting time like this forever.

At least when reporting to the royal family, I had to put on a good show.

“Maybe it’s time to get up.”

I took out the map the prime minister had handed me.

Blackmore, divided into five zones, appeared in my view.

The area I would supervise today was ‘Kalbaron’, located at the northern tip of Blackmore.

A zone with the threatening nickname of the Cliff of Death.

The reason I chose Kalbaron was simple.
It was the closest area among all the zones.

Supervising isn’t that special.

I just need to casually walk around and check if there are any issues.

Honestly, it won’t take long.

I’ll just sweep through the nearby areas and head back.

“…The atmosphere is eerie.”

With a brief comment, I moved my feet.

Even though I had only been here a few days, this eerie landscape already felt familiar.

The path was rough, but there weren’t any major problems.

I had already familiarized myself with the nearby terrain.

How long did I walk?

After passing through the thick fog, I reached my destination.

“Whoo.”

Kalbaron.

Finally, I arrived.

But there was a problem.

“……?”

Silver hair that seemed like it was melted sugar.

Gray eyes reminiscent of volcanic ash.

Unrealistic features and a collapsed expression, as if the world had crumbled for her.

“A woman…?”

What is this

I had no idea what was going on.

She shouldn’t be here at the edge of the cliff.

“Why is there a woman here…?”

Her clothes were clearly of noble origin.

And this place is the empire’s most notorious cursed land.

An utterly mismatched combination, except for one possibility.

“Eh?”

Wait a second.

Could it be…?

Before I could finish my thought, the woman, who had been standing dumbfounded, began to move.

“Eh? Eh? Eh?!”

The direction was the edge of the cliff.

It was a sheer drop.